1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the invention relates to land based electric powered vehicles which utilize roads. More specifically, the invention relates to such electric powered vehicles which mechanically produce electricity onboard.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous methods exist to propel land based vehicles which utilize roads. By far the largest class of such vehicles utilize a petroleum based fuel to power an internal combustion engine which produces rotational output which is then utilized to, rotate at least one wheel to propel the vehicle. The most common fuels utilized by such vehicles are gasoline and diesel. Applicable vehicles include automobiles, trucks and motorcycles.
It has long been known that trains are most efficiently powered by running large internal combustion diesel engines which power electric generators which produce electricity which in turn power electric motors which turn select powered wheels of locomotives which move the train along rails. One major drawback to attempting to utilize the rotational output of the large internal combustion diesel engine to directly drive the wheels of the locomotive is the lack of an adequate transmission apparatus to convert the rotational output of the diesel engine to drive the wheels of the locomotive.
This drawback does not exist for land based vehicles, such as passenger vehicles, vans, trucks, cars and motorcycles, or large diesel powered tractor trailer rigs which pull cargo trailers, which use roads. Transmissions for conversion of rotational output of internal combustion engines to drive wheels for applicable land based vehicles are well known and well developed.
Much work has been done over the years to attempt to increase the miles obtainable from a unit of fuel for internal combustion engine powered land vehicles. These efforts have produced high efficiency vehicles, by current standards. Unfortunately, even the most fuel efficient passenger vehicle based solely on an internal combustion engine commercially available at the time of applicant's invention gets well less than one hundred (100) miles per gallon of petroleum fuel consumed.
A class of vehicles commonly referred to as ‘electric’ vehicles have been developed which have an electric motor and batteries to provide electricity to the electric motor. The most efficient passenger vehicle in this class commercially available at the time of applicant's invention gets less than one hundred (100) miles per gallon of petroleum fuel consumed, when the cost of electricity to recharge the batteries is converted to a corresponding cost of petroleum fuel. A major drawback of vehicles of this class involve the requirement that the vehicle be attached to an electric outlet supplied with electricity from the power grid at a stationary location. Typically, such ‘recharging’ occurs at the location where the vehicle is kept, as the time span required to recharge the batteries is significantly longer than the time span typically utilized to deposit gasoline or diesel fuel into a vehicle. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for a typical user to locate a location which would permit attachment of the vehicle to an outlet to ‘recharge’ the vehicle while out and about when the charge in the batteries is depleted, or reaching depletion. Additionally, due to the slow nature of the typical charging operation, time restraints are a factor for the user to consider. These uncertainty of being able to continue on one's journey, in a timely manner, is a major reason why purely electric vehicles have not been more widely accepted in American society. Another drawback of vehicles of this class involves the nature of applicable batteries which must be completely replaced after a fairly short life cycle, which typically is less than the life cycle of the overall vehicle. Due to the nature and number of the batteries typically deployed with such purely electric vehicles, such replacement costs are significant to the user.
A class of vehicles commonly referred to a ‘hybrid’ vehicles have been developed which have an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Batteries carried onboard are utilized to store electricity for use by the electric motor. Such vehicles utilize the electric motor to power the vehicle under certain conditions and utilize the internal combustion engine to power the vehicle under certain other conditions. Certain vehicles in this class also utilize both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine to power the vehicle under certain conditions. Typically, the batteries are recharged while the vehicle is stationary and attached to an electric outlet supplied with electricity from the power grid, as is typically done with purely electric vehicles. Some of these vehicles utilize exotic charging arrangements to produce some electricity for storage during usage of the vehicle, such as during braking of the vehicle. The most efficient passenger vehicle in this class commercially available at the time of applicant's invention gets well less than one hundred (100) miles per gallon of petroleum fuel consumed, when the cost of electricity to recharge the batteries is converted to a corresponding cost of petroleum fuel. Another drawback of vehicles of this class involves the cost of the actual vehicle which is typically greater than the cost of an applicable conventional internal combustion engine vehicle. A similar drawback to purely electric vehicles for vehicles of this class involves the nature of applicable batteries which must be completely replaced after a fairly short life cycle, which typically is less than the life cycle of the overall vehicle.
Various deficiencies exist with all conventionally known land based vehicles which operate on roads. As can be seen various attempts have been made to make land based vehicles more cost efficient to own and operate. These attempts have been less efficient than desired. As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a land based vehicle which has an electric motor to propel the vehicle and a mechanical device on the vehicle to produce electricity during use of the vehicle to supply the electric motor with electricity. The present invention substantially fulfills these needs.